There are many shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them. (Vicky Baum)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Our first class in Sana'a...

Last Thursday was out first class in Sana'a.  That was interesting, LOL.

I ended up with muscle sore, I think partly because I had spent the whole afternoon trying out exercises for the warm-up section, hahaha....  I must have repeated the work-out part like 5 times, before settling on the routine and songs I wanted to use for the actual workshop.

The turn up was rather surprisingly many.  We know we had 18 people on the list, and I think around 20 people actually turned up.  Wow... I've seen around the same number of people dancing in our front room, but to look at them looking at me all at the same time, geez.... it kind of only hit me then, how many people we were about to lead astray.  I haven't been teaching (anything) in a large group for almost a year now, so that was an interesting refresher, stage fright, voice projection and all that stuff.

As I was working up the time division, I started to realize that the original lesson plan was kind of ambitious.  I was relying on the fact that most people would have known the basic already.  But from the sign-up list, I knew that there would be also some real beginners.  And as I had expected, we barely made it to the 'inside turn for lead', when the time ran out.

We managed to squeeze in the combination of the follow-lead consecutive turns, but that was already pushing it.  That only means, there is more stuff to learn/review next time around.

Der Herr and I were just hoping that people had fun, and learned something in the process.  It at least seemed that they had fun ;p  And the absolute beginners did seem to learn somethings.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Happy New Year 2011!!

Yohoooo! We get to start 2011 with our first ever basic salsa workshop.

The plan is to give a 2-hour session of basic salsa, including warm-up.  We are thinking of covering the basic footwork (basic, side basic, backrock and open break/guapea), exhibela/outside turn for follows, inside turn for leads, dile que no/cross body lead and enchufle.  And....some basic combinations of the previously mentioned stuffs.

I am pretty nervous, LOL. Tomorrow is the 'big' day, and I still have to work on the playlist for the session.  Cross your fingers for us!  I will let you know how that turns out.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Dancing is a funny thing....

Just posted an article on my other blog:

Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Salsa night, July 1, 2010.

Thursday, July 1, 2010, 8 p.m. onwards. Our place.
Bring some chips, comfortable shoes, chewing gum and you best dancing mood ;)

Second to last class

Last night was the second to last class, and our first after a two week absence. Did not really learn a lot of new things, but it was good to review some basic stuffs.


Oh, I managed to finish the shawl, last piece of the ball costume during the trip to Germany.  And since I've decided, and tried out, to wear my new pair of black dancing shoes (with the risk of having my husband trampling all over them) for the ball, I wouldn't need to work on the shoe laces.


I would have liked to learn Foxtrot and Quickstep, still, but I guess I have to wait and see if people come up with follow-up course, sometimes in Fall.


And this weekend the ladies decided to meet up and compare gowns....ouch.... And the guys are ORDERING their tails.  Wow... now I know why I kond of dig latin dance more than 'classical' one.... I guess 'dress to kill' dresscode is soooo much easier than "ballgown and tails".

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Shawl..... ;p

Up and coming, an additional self made shawl to complete the look ;p


Can't wait....

About the dress....

I know... I know... we ladies are so vain..... But a lady has to use all the opportunities presented to her to shine, especially when they don't come by so often.


I guess that is what will happen to the fate of THE Ball. From the initial idea of a 'tacky' dress up, it has now spun to 'deadly serious ball outfit'.  Give it to the Germans not to make fun of a serious business, such as ballroom dance.  I am kind of happy that I didn't really go all the way tacky, but I think my dress is passable, if not seriously 'BALLy'.  Though I have to admit that since now it is becoming apparent that everybody opt for seriously gorgeous dresses, I've been thinking on whether it is a good chance to stock up on a dress that will be presentable for a summer Yemeni wedding party as well, since there will absolutely zero opportunity to wear these things outside of these occasions...  But then again, what will happen to my cute little ball gown?


I know I am not having the right frame of mind to be a ballroom dancer, but I have the feeling that all this dressing up issues will be even trickier ~ and sadly more important ~ than mastering Viennese waltz footwork, or learning new dances such as foxtrot or quick step.


But hey, all is fun as long as I get to dance, in the end :)  Bravo to the people who come up with the idea!